The price of a postage is going up again. The price of mailing a letter is likely to rise to 41 cents beginning in May, from 39 cents. But for the first time ever, consumers will also be able to buy a "forever stamp" — one that will be good indefinitely for first-class postage.

Thirty countries, including England, already use a variation of the forever stamp. Now U.S. Postal Service regulators have endorsed the idea.

The stamp would cost exactly the same price as a regular, first-class stamp.

Government officials say the stamp would be cost-effective for the Postal Service and more convenient for consumers.

One benefit would be to eliminate the need to add two- or three-cent stamps to an envelope as people are trying to use up their old stamps after a rate change.

And the new stamp could actually save the Postal Service money — or at worst, be revenue-neutral.

"The cost to the Postal Service of selling you a roll of two-cent stamps for a dollar or two is so much greater than the roll of stamps you are buying that it costs the Postal Service money," said Ruth Goldway, a member of the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Postal regulators aren't worried that people will hoard the new stamps.